Somerville, NJ October 18, 2022 USA Architects, Planners and Interior Designers, Ltd, an award-winning, Mid-Atlantic based architecture firm that delivers exemplary designs with forward-thinking purpose, announces today that the North Brunswick Township New Knowledge Resource Center, North Brunswick, New Jersey, has been selected for publication in American School & University 2022© Educational Interiors Showcase. It is featured in the August 2022 edition of the magazine and online at the firm’s website USAArchitects.com. An annual competition honoring excellence in educational interiors and facility planning, the Educational Interiors Showcase spotlights today’s most effective learning environments.
The new North Brunswick Township 7 - 8 Middle school is the district’s first school building to be built in 40 years and is part of a $77 million referendum to relieve congestion, overcrowding and expand educational programs among the district‘s schools. This progressive 2-story facility takes advantage of scenic views of its tree-lined borders, provides indoor-outdoor connections via outside courtyards adjacent to makerspaces and art rooms, and contains learning labs, general classrooms, and huddle spaces for collaborative engagement. The academic portion of the school is designed imperceptibly separate from the cafeteria, gymnasium, and library/media center (Knowledge Resource Center), which provides these spaces to the community after hours.
Centrally located off the main entrance, the Knowledge Resource Center—the “K” as it is known to the students—is the heart of the North Brunswick Township Middle School. This 4,500 square foot double height space integrates a traditional school library with the latest digital technology and resources. Low, curving bookshelves and soft seating throughout preserves the feeling of openness and creates informal areas for students to read, research, or collaborate.
The left side of the Knowledge Resource Center features wall mounted smart boards and movable desks and chairs that can be reconfigured for working either independently or in groups. This area can also be used for testing and tutoring. Direct access to two computer labs is provided at the rear of the space. The right side of the space features a sitting stair, which can be used for either instruction in a group lecture setting or casually by students. This stair connects the lower level to an intermediate landing with additional bookshelves, a seating area on the upper balcony, and access to the second floor of the school. Double height curtain wall flanks the east and west sides, providing ample natural daylighting and access to two exterior courtyards on either side.
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USA Architects is an award-winning mid-size architecture firm with locations in Somerville, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, Easton, PA and Baltimore, MD. Founded in 1985, USA’s designs inspire community, creating impactful environments where people learn, work, and play. The firm offers architectural, interior and planning services within Government, Justice, K-12, Higher Education, Science and Technology, Commercial and Corporate markets.